Gold Mountain, Big City: Ken Cathcart’s 1947 Illustrated Map of San Francisco’s Chinatown

by Jim Schein, Aubree Mladenovic

The unique character of San Francisco’s Chinatown is revealed in a historical map and fascinating photographs
This colorful and celebratory time capsule of San Francisco’s Chinatown—the largest Chinese community outside of Asia—shares the stories of the unique businesses, culture, and people encountered by map illustrator Ken Cathcart between 1939 and 1955. Each section of this stylized map, supplemented by Cathcart’s never-before-seen black-and-white photographs, is explained in meticulous detail, revealing glimpses of the immigration story universal to America and exploring the struggles, triumphs, and enduring legacy of this vibrant community.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Photography

144 pages, Hardcover

Published March 24, 2020

Reviews

[Illiterate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pictorial map, photos, explanatory text. Well produced.

[Jasmin Darznik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an unforgettable treasure trove of a book. The photographs of San Francisco in the 30s and 40s, particularly those of the city's Chinatown, are some of the most evocative I have seen. I love the big format of the book and the inclusion of maps. Cameron and Company, the publisher of this book, is putting out truly beautiful books related to Bay Area history. I love their motto of publishing books that have to be experienced as physical books. You can feel their devotion to the art of bookmaking on every page.